Diamond in the Rough

I am embarrassed at how long it has been since my last post. I know you have all just been waiting with baited breath to learn about what's going on in our life! I think I've just taken a vacation from life this last week. We had a GREAT week of thanksgiving, and I will post more later about all of that. Thought I would share, though, our little comedian's latest hijinks's. Earlier this week, Jakob and I were reading Aladdin, and Jakob was, surprisingly, paying very close attention. When we got to the page with the cave of wonders, Jakob said, "Dat tiger scares me!"

I assured him that he had no reason to be afraid. The cave of wonders would allow the Diamond in the Rough to enter. I tried to have a sweet conversation with Jakob about how he was a diamond in the rough, chosen by God without merit. It was lost on my sweet boy. He looked at me with the most serious face and said, "Mommy...I not a dimund in 'de ruf...I a Jakob in 'de Hardy!"

Jakob's Vacation

I have had a wonderful week so far in a toddler-free home! It has been so nice to rest, recover, clean, and organize without Jakob's 'help.' Several people, though, have asked if I'm okay without having Jakob for this long. I probably should not be as okay as I am, to be perfectly honest! However, Jakob LOVES being at Nana and Poppy's house. He's okay, so I'm okay! Thought I would share with you two pictures my dad sent me from his phone to show that Jakob is having the time of his life! Pirate hats at the donut shop and play dough with Nana! Life is good...in Texas and Oklahoma! I am getting excited to have him back, though. No one hugs like he does!

Sorry for the small pictures, but you know camera phones! Funny Jakob story from his week of vacation. As you can see, my dad doesn't have a lot of hair, and the hair he does have is turning grey. The other night, my mom was trimming my dad's hair when Jakob came into the room. With a very concerned and worried voice, Jakob asked, "Poppy?! Where's your brown hair go?!" After a long laugh, their evening went on. Mom bathed Jakob and asked him afterward if he would like a hair cut like Poppy. (Jakob needs a trim badly!) Jakob grabbed his head with both hands and answered in a panicked tone, "No Nana! I want my brown hair!" SO funny! He thought that he, too, would lose his brown hair if it was cut! Poor Poppy. Getting Jakob to cut his hair may be a lost cause for a while!

Sick and LOVING it!

Well...its been a week, to say the least. Just as our busy weekend was starting out, my body began to shut down. I made it through Saturday on pure adrenaline and guts. Saturday night at dinner, however, I knew that I was going downhill quickly. By the time I got to my bed, my tonsils were covered in white spots and my head weighed twice its original weight. By Sunday morning, fever, fever blisters, congestion, and just general yuckiness had taken up residence. So, my sweet husband left me in bed on Sunday morning where I stayed until Tuesday morning. I really don't know if I have been that completely floored in a very long time. I was done. I think my body just refused to take one more step. So, I am trying to listen to it sooner than later so as to not provoke it into hiatus again! In light of my illness, though, my mom and dad offered to take Jakob until Thanksgiving when they are coming back to our house! So, yesterday, we met them with the boy who wasn't having a hard time leaving us AT ALL! Since everyone is coming here for Thanksgiving, I am so grateful to have this week to get the house really cleaned and my body really rested. Date night every night! THANK YOU MOM AND DAD! I feel better already!

What a group...

FOURTEEN!!!

That's right! Fourteen move on to the final audition with 2 alternates in the wings! Most in Frenship history! Most in our Region! I cannot over-emphasize my sincere joy for our students who learned yesterday that hard work, truly hard work, pays off. What a gift to watch them succeed yesterday as individuals and then lead out today in our Region's All-Region Concert. They are such a special group, and I am eternally blessed to coach them. If you prayed for or thought of my kids...thanks!

WOO-HOO!!!

Kelsie, Senior, 1st Chair, Soprano 1 (3-year All-Stater looking to make history!)

Erin, Junior, 4th Chair, Soprano 1

Brooke, Senior, 3rd Chair, Soprano 2

Emily, Freshman, 4th Chair, Soprano 2

Taylor, Junior, 5th Chair, Soprano 2

Dakota, Junior, 4th Chair, Alto 1

Kandra, Junior, 1st Chair, Alto 2 (Returning All-Stater)

Denisha, Senior, 2nd Chair, Alto 2

Namanda, Junior, 3rd Chair, Alto 2

Molly, Junior, 4th Chair, Alto 2

Bryce, Sophomore, 2nd Chair, Tenor 1

Brian, Sophomore, 5th Chair, Tenor 1

Barclay, Sophomore, 2nd Chair, Tenor 2

Jordan, Sophomore, 6th Chair (1st Alternate), Tenor 2

Kashif, Senior, 2nd Chair, Bass 1

James, Senior, 6th Chair (1st Alternate), Bass 1

For Real?

Well, anyone who has been near me on a weekday over the last two weeks will attest to the fact that I am a bit on the loony side of life right now. PreArea auditions are tomorrow. Did you hear me? PREAREA AUDITIONS ARE TOMORROW!!! I am realizing that I am a bit over-involved with not only my students, but with their success. I cannot do anything tomorrow. They have to go in and do what we have worked on for so many weeks. And yet, I think I may be more nervous than they are tonight! In my job, there are only five days or so that really matter to my 'career security.' All Region, PreArea, Area, Solo and Ensemble and TSSEC. So, tomorrow is the second of three auditions for my students' All-State Choir hopes. They're good. I mean, really good. I have been on their backs for about three weeks making them believe that they were really behind. BUT...today, I dragged myself into my living room feeling like they were as ready as could be...or at least the ones that want to be there! I am praying that their efforts more than pay off tomorrow! But to every great week, a little poo must fall, I guess! Tuesday during lessons, I knew that I was really feeling icky. My voice was really tired and sore...not a good thing for a vocal coach. By about midnight, I knew that strep was moving in. So, I took yesterday off and spent the day downing antibiotics and gargling warm salt water. Of all the weeks? Really? Oh, well...if someone had to get it, better me than my students. After all, I really cannot audition for them tomorrow...no matter how much I might want to!

First Weekend in November

Okay, since I'm still in the mood of celebrating Jared's birthday, I thought I would just share with you a story that shows what a romantic he is. Nine years ago, I was, somehow, Miss Wayland Baptist University. After you win Miss Wayland, you are the coordinator of the 'pageant' the next year. So, the first weekend of November, 2000, I was coordinating and giving away my title. It was during this year, though, that Jared had begun to develop a little thing for me, and I was completely oblivious. He had helped me for hours in preparation for the pageant. He put together a group of guys to sing in an in-between and turned pages for me as I performed my final talent. He was at every single practice, right by my side, helping me however I needed it. I think I should have picked up on the signals he was sending! At that time, Miss Wayland was a two night affair. On opening night, all of the contestants get their beautiful flowers from their sponsor organizations, family, and such. I, however, really wasn't expecting anything since my year was over. When I went downstairs, however, there was this absolutely gorgeous, HUGE arrangement on my dressing table. I mean, this thing was bigger than anything we had at our wedding. I couldn't believe that my dad had spent that much money on me! Then, I opened the card and read the most kind words from my best friend, Jared. I think everyone in that dressing room knew what that card really said, except for me! It seemed like all 27 contestants watched me read that card. I gushed after I read it, "Don't I have the most amazing friend ever?!" As they all rolled their eyes, I continued getting ready. I never allowed myself to believe that someone like Jared Hardy, handsome, witty, charming, talented, just perfect, could ever be with someone like me. But, after the pageant that night, Jared let me know that his card wasn't just about friendship. It was about a lot more. We were engaged the following August. Okay, so all that to say this...I judged the Miss Wayland pageant last weekend. I love getting to do this as my time in those shoes were so blessed and special. On Friday afternoon, Jared drove up a little later than I expected him. He walked into the house with two dozen roses. He remembers year after year that he sent me my first of many bouquets of flowers on that first weekend in November and still does to this day. Goodness gracious, I love him!

29 ain't so bad...

Today is my groom's birthday. We didn't do anything spectacularly extraordinary. We went and had breakfast this morning, activated Jared's new phone (his gift), shopped a bit for some new furniture for Jakob's room, had lunch with his parents, took a nap, and are home now watching the Red Raider game. You know what I absolutely love about my husband? He is my absolute favorite person in the entire world to just hang with. He is my favorite friend...truly my soul-mate. I love to laugh with him, cry with him (or on him), be silent with him, sing with him, shop with him, golf with him, play video games with him...I just love him. He is in such a sprint right now to become a greater man...a grounded man of God. He inspires me, loves me deeply, and prays for me daily. Can't ask for much more than that. I love you, Jared...happy birthday!

Knock Knock

So, last week in the Jeep, Jakob and I had a conversation that went a little something like this:

Jakob: Hey, mom? (He never calls me that...so I took notice)

Me: Yeah, buddy?

Jakob: Knock! Knock!

Me: (with a very puzzled look since we have never taught him jokes) Who's there?

Jakob: Cheetah.

Me: (Still with wrinkled eyebrows) Cheetah who?

Jakob: (while cracking up...no...cackling at himself) CHEETAH YATER OW-IGATOR!

He hasn't stopped saying that joke this entire week, and he still thinks its just as funny! Fun times ahead!

Halloween's of Yesteryear

I mentioned earlier this week that Halloween falls at a very busy time of year for us. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten very good at planning ahead. BUT, I am better than I used to be! This year, I did buy everything for Jakob's outfit on Wednesday before the big day on Friday. It might not have been assembled until 5:15 pm, but it was the property of Hardy Procrastinators Inc. Jakob's first Halloween, we were so broke and so swamped that I make him into a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs out of materials found at the local Family Dollar. I cannot believe we did this to our child. So, that was October of 2006. Jakob was five months old. Do you see the look on his face?! Its a mix of confusion, panic, and disbelief. So, then last year, I decided that we would not go the homemade route. We would buy it...like real families do! However, Halloween last year fell on a Wednesday night. Wednesday in ministry for us were always incredibly busy and rushed. To top it all off, we closed on our first house last October 31. We stopped at K-Mart to buy our dining room table (classy, I know) on our way to Abernathy that night for the trunk or treat stuff at the church. While we were there at the customer service desk redeeming our rain check for the table, I saw a skunk costume in the return pile. We bought it, sight-unseen! I didn't even check the tag! It was too small, so we cut the crotch out of the costume in the Jeep in the K-Mart parking lot before we left. Our poor child...he is either going to be the most resourceful person in history or in counseling for life...

Again, look at the face!

Who's Boring Now?!

On Sunday, Jakob told one of his Sunday School teachers that his hair "was boring." He tells me this all of the time, but it changed the game when Mrs. Kristy heard of how we are torturing our son with a boring haircut. The bigger picture here is that Jakob absolutely hates having anything sticky on his hair. Obviously, this includes hairspray, mousse, and gel of any sort! He freaks...literally freaks! So, with limp, thick hair and no gel...you get boring hair! That is until you get all hot and sweaty! Then...this happens!

Pardon the poor picture quality...web cams aren't known for their pixel count. (Is that even the right verbiage?)

How-loween

HOW on earth do people with multiple children pull of a successful Halloween each year? Here's the deal: October and November are two of Jared's and my most busy months out of the year. Jared has done two car deals this week, thank you, Lord! But, they do take up large chunks of time out of our evenings. We are two weeks away from our next All-State audition, so I am swamped with lessons and sectionals. On Thursday night, we had a football game in Abilene and didn't get home until the 3 am hour. Jared decided not to go to bed that night since he had to be at a meeting at 6 the next morning. So, needless to say, he was walking around on borrowed time Friday! I think he even remembers teaching that day! On Saturday, Jared spent the day judging middle school all-region choir auditions and I spent the day in Plainview judging Miss Wayland 2009! While it was a great day for each of us, it made it difficult to stick Halloween in the middle of it all! Originally, Jakob was going to be Larry Boy so that we could reuse his hat from the Veggie Tales Live night. However, I could not find purple pants in Jakob's size that didn't have glitter in the fabric. So, in a last minute attempt to recover some sort of Larry costume, we decided on Larry, the Pirate who doesn't do anything!

We did have a great time, though. After sectionals Friday afternoon, Jakob and I headed home to get ready while daddy wen to pick up a special surprise for mommy. Details to follow in another post! We went to Grandma's (Carla's grandmother) assisted living home to visit all of her friends at their Halloween party. Jakob loved it, and mommy and daddy have loved eating the loot!

Then, we went to see Whitney, Bryce, and Barclay. The boys took Jakob around their neighborhood while we hung out with the Whites...one of our favorite things to do!

Then we, headed to BB and Pa's house where Jakob spent the night! Stressful? Yes. Fun? Absolutely. Teaching us lessons in pre-planning, organization, and time management? Goodness, I hope so!